AF100 Viewfinder

[grimrebes]

I don't want to sound like a broken record, but I'd much rather see the EVF of this guy resemble this.

http://www.dpreview.com/news/1009/10092805microevf.asp

It's pretty unlikely, as unlikely as getting 10 bit from the SDI out, but it'd make a world of difference to some of us.

[LoganMackay]

I'm confused as to what you want? The camera has a flip out lcd as well as a viewfinder such as the one you linked.

[Barry_Green]

If you want the Redrock viewfinder, you can of course just buy one and use it. If it's any good (and I expect it will be) that's what I plan on doing. Having a re-positionable orientable viewfinder can come in handy in shoulder-mount usage. The Redrock will work on the AF100.

So for those who need it, they can get it. For those who don't need it, they don't have to pay for it.

[erdiaz]

$595 for a viewfinder? as I read in all this threads, I see a bunch of devices aimed to "make a DSLR like a video cam". I'm not against it, if you have the money and the time to prepare your camera TO SHOOT. But the "Frankesteinization" of a camera (and the $$$ that it involves) is out of topic when you can get all of the functionality you need in a single device like the AF100, for about $6 - 7.000. (I´m talking about a DSLR vs AF100). I made a search and found that I´ll need about $8-9.000 to have the same in a DSRL. I know the AF100 is not a all "purpose camera" no one is. For this razon I'll buy it and keep my HVX200 in order to have a "more pro codec" for VFX and so.

[ripupthehwy]

I agree with you. Forget Frankenstein. He met a dismal end anyways.

[agcohn]

$595 for a viewfinder? as I read in all this threads, I see a bunch of devices aimed to "make a DSLR like a video cam". I'm not against it, if you have the money and the time to prepare your camera TO SHOOT. But the "Frankesteinization" of a camera (and the $$$ that it involves) is out of topic when you can get all of the functionality you need in a single device like the AF100, for about $6 - 7.000. (I´m talking about a DSLR vs AF100). I made a search and found that I´ll need about $8-9.000 to have the same in a DSRL. I know the AF100 is not a all "purpose camera" no one is. For this razon I'll buy it and keep my HVX200 in order to have a "more pro codec" for VFX and so.

$595 is very, very, very inexpensive for an HD Color viewfinder.

The Red viewfinder costs $3,200.

Even black & white viewfinders for pro cameras can cost around $2,000.

[kplo]

I thought the EVF on the camera at DV EXPO was pretty darned good. I do wish that the LCD flip out was larger though.
Jan said that both viewfinders would be "better" on the release model.
What really impressed me was how clean the image is. 1600 ISO had remarkably little noise, viewing the demo scene in the booth on their monitor. I mean really minimal noise (mostly in the red channel: roses and the model's magenta blouse). The lens was a Zeiss 35mm that was probably 4 times the price of the camera. Noise, where it could be seen, had a very fine grain look. I'm sure that settings in the camera menu could minimize this even further. At 400 ISO, with the lens at an f/2.5 stop, noise was virtually a non-issue on the monitor.
I really hope that Panasonic bundles a zoom lens with the AF100 to make it more usable right out of the box. My Nikon glass can cover a lot of shooting scenarios, but my widest lens is a 28mm f/2.8. The wider angle of a bundled zoom specifically made for this chip would be nice.
I'm betting that an AVC Intra codec (P2?) version of this camera won't be far behind in the release schedule. A very versatile product introduced at the right time.
Ken

[G.P.]

to be honest that viewfinder I would use on just about any camera, if its good. Love to have that for my HPX500's or even RED. I was waiting for the day that these came out, I was hoping they would be HD-SDI though, not HDMI, but for that price, buying a converter box and view finder, would still be cheaper than the crappiest of even black and white view SD finders, so its a very nice price point.

[jdesignhi]

Jan,

Any chance that you would equip the AF100 with a hi-rez B&W viewfinder? Or, am I entirely too old-school?

=-)

Jeff

[kplo]

Giuseppe,
The AF100 has an HD-SDI out, on the back.
Hope this helps.
Ken